FREEDOM PARADISE: First Size-Friendly Hotel & Resort!
by Rose Williams

Freedom Paradise is the first and only size-friendly vacation club in the world with hotels focused on satisfying the special needs of plus-size tourists. White sands, beautiful turquoise waters, and a happy bathing suit clad family are pictured at FreedomParadise.com. Let images of a distant shore, people enjoying balmy breezes, the golden sun of Cancun, and a Sex On The Beach on rocks in hand flood your thoughts. Oh no! Did the loud clanking sound of garbage trucks, blaring car horns, and emergency vehicle sirens wake you up from that blissful daydream? BGN contacted Freedom Paradise's Commercial Director Jurriaan Klink for the scoop on this exciting vacation getaway!

BGN: The idea of a size-friendly vacation oasis seems like a dream! How exactly did Freedom Parardise Resort come about?

KLINK: I find the idea of a size-friendly resort very welcoming. I know personally I feel somewhat self-conscious at regular resorts with slim ladies in dental floss bikinis and muscular Greek Gods walking around. Our company noticed at a former hotel that many plus-size tourists were always sitting on the corner of the beach; they were shy about wearing bathing suits and not even fully enjoying the holiday that they probably saved up for during a long time. We decided to dig in to this a little bit deeper by interviewing many people which finally led to a complete market research and we found out that many large size individuals deal with 2 major problems in life:
*discrimination / not feeling comfortable
*the lack of good quality products for their size

We thought that it was not only a humane concept but also that it would be probably viable to create a solution since nowadays the large size individual is the majority. Our solution is Freedom Paradise, a size-friendly resort where people of all sizes are welcome to enjoy their holiday to the fullest and at the same level.

The reactions of the media and public were overwhelming and many people were truly happy to find out about our concept. However at first the number of reservations that came in was not what we expected. Luckily now we see people are starting to respond and are making reservations which is probably the result of prestige media talking about us positively but most of all good word of mouth of people that have visited us and work in the plus-size community. We have been visited by Big on Batik, Lane Bryant, Figure Magazine, Kelly Bliss, Big Dogs and many more--they all liked what they saw. Many BBW groups and other sort of groups have started to block out large numbers of rooms for special events. Some of these events are being promoted on our FREEDOME PARADISE website http://www.freedomparadise.com

BGN: How long has the resort been open?

KLINK: We concluded renovations in June, 2005 which was when we opened. We did not pre-sell since we were afraid that a competitor might find out about our concept and beat us to it. Thanks to our 2 year preparations in silence we are now truly the first and only size-friendly resort in the world and our ambition is to expand in the future if we can make this first resort a success.

BGN: Where exactly is the resort located?

KLINK: We are located in the Mexican Mayan Riviera about an hour and 15 minutes south of Cancun on a secluded long stretch of Caribbean beach. Our hotel is about 5 minutes away from the world famous Mayan ruins of Tulum. We have chosen this property because it was built right on the beach and our guests do not have to walk a long way to reach the ocean. Most rooms are actually ocean front or ocean view.

BGN: Is Freedom Paradise family friendly? What entertainment features and activities do you offer?

KLINK: Yes we are not only size-friendly but also age-friendly. Since our hotel has so many size-friendly amenities the hotel is also comfortable for elderly people. Besides that we have a kids club with special activities for the little ones. We offer daytime activities and nightly entertainment which is included in the all inclusive rates.

BGN: How does Freedom Paradise differ from other vacation resorts in its efforts to accomadate plus-size tourists?
KLINK: We contract staff of all sizes that treat our guests well, the larger number of chairs is not only sturdy but also armless and extra wide. Armless sun beds and we also have some family size wooden sun beds. Easy accessible pools: walk in pools with a railing in the middle to hold on to. Few steps in general, sufficient ramps, just 2 stories high. Rooms with sturdy comfortable beds (either 1 king or 2 double beds). Walk in bathrooms only with railings and on request we provide a shower seat. Last but not least we have a lobby with a big piece of size-friendly art and a boutique that sells clothing in all sizes also. We are also developing a plus-size fitness program with the help of Kelly Bliss.

We consider this a real healthy place because we think that there is nothing more healthy than taking a vacation to get rid of stress and fully enjoy life today!

BGN: What are your rates? Do you offer vacation packages, discount specials, or inclusive vacation rates?

KLINK: Our introductory rates start at $155 USD per person per night in case of DBL occupancy. This includes all meals, domestic beverages until 1 am, activities, night entertainment, tips and taxes.

In addition we have some early booking promotions where people get discounts up to 50% (2 stay for 1) when they prepay before a specific date.

BGN: When is the best time of year to visit Cancun?

KLINK: Many North Americans visit this area between Christmas and April, but also the summer months are great. Mexico is a country that does not depend on seasons to much because of the great weather almost all year round.

BGN: Thank you for taking a moment to share information about Freedom Paradise. It sounds like a wonderful vacation haven for the plus-size community and admirers. Good luck with the resort and continued success!

KLINK:Thanks a lot for your interest and we hope to see everyone at Freedom Paradise soon!

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